5 Minutes with… Mino Jarjoura

Having spent nearly two decades at Hungry Man producing some of the most iconic commercials in recent memory – including over 40 Super Bowl spots – Mino Jarjoura knows what it takes to make work that lasts. Now, as global president of VICE Branded, he’s helping shape the next chapter of branded storytelling.

VICE Branded brings together Pulse Films, London Alley, and Ruckus under one cultural banner – with the ambition to create work that’s bold, cinematic, and built to connect. At the heart of it all is Mino’s deep belief in the power of creative collaboration, his instinct for spotting singular talent, and a commitment to building teams that can take risks with purpose.

LBB’s Zoe Antonov sat down with Mino to talk about how he got his start, what keeps him inspired after nearly 30 years in the business, and what it means to lead companies that are reshaping the space where advertising, music, and culture meet.

LBB> Let’s start at the beginning: What first drew you to the world of film and storytelling?

Mino> While I was in my last year at York University in Toronto, I had a long break between two classes, so I started going to the film library to pass the time. I always loved movies, and I began watching films I’d never really been exposed to before. A handful really made me feel something – ‘Midnight Express’, ‘The 400 Blows’, ‘La Haine’, ‘Mean Streets’. I’d never seen cinema like that, I was blown away, then it dawned on me: film production could actually be a career.

I was 22, working full-time as a marketing manager while trying to finish my undergrad in Marketing and Fine Arts – six weeks later, I quit both my job and school (with just three credits left) to start working as a PA on commercial sets. That’s where it all started for me.

LBB> …and what keeps you in it today?

Mino> While my role and the business itself has changed a lot over the last 28 years, what keeps me in it is still the same core thing: the work. It may sound cliché, but I do love working closely with my directors to shape ideas, strategising with them and agencies and brands to push for the best creative we can make. There’s also something about seeing a piece connect – with an audience, with peers – that never stops being rewarding. That feeling doesn’t get old. It’s a bit addictive.

LBB> You've produced over 40 Super Bowl commercials and led projects that have won major industry awards.

Mino> To be clear I produced 19 before I became an executive producer, as an EP and later an MD I worked on another 23 or so. There were a handful in the top five on the Ad Meter, one of them won the Ad Meter. That was quite a moment.

LBBB> What, in your view, defines a truly unforgettable commercial?

Mino> It really starts with a great idea and something to say, a real point of view. There has to be a willingness to interrogate all the details as you develop the work, continually refining the approach. Add in a director with an original voice and the conviction to find a great cast and you have the major ingredients for a great spot.

For the Super Bowl, a simple narrative is best, there is so much going on around the game, so many distractions, a clear idea cuts through to the fans. Be prepared to take some risks, collaborating with the agency and the brand to build the courage to entertain, and tell a good story instead of hitting the audience over the head with product features. Oh and it helps if it's tremendously funny.

LBB> After 17 years at Hungry Man, you joined Pulse Films – and now lead Pulse Films, London Alley and Ruckus Films as global president of the newly formed division VICE Branded under VICE Media. What does this expanded role mean to you creatively and strategically?

Mino> Creatively, it’s already pretty damn good. There are so many talented people across these companies, and VICE has a way of attracting folks who are a bit left of centre – which I really appreciate. Even with corporate parents, the companies within feel like they are led by the producers and creators.

It’s also an incredible opportunity to grow these businesses within a company rooted in culture. Pulse, London Alley, and Ruckus each have their own distinct identity – and strategically, they complement each other in a smart way. Pulse and London Alley cover different ends of the cultural and visual spectrum, while Ruckus brings a strong point of view in elevated comedy.

What excites me most is the chance to build something bigger than just commercials or music videos. We’re creating an ecosystem for bold, cinematic and comedic storytelling across formats – branded, short-form, series and whatever comes next. It’s about expanding what each company can do on its own, and unlocking what we can build together.

Strategically, there’s a real opportunity in that cross-collaboration – where our companies can work across one another’s lines of business to offer more to our clients and production partners to make more meaningful work that lives beyond a media buy.

LBB> How do you balance commercial viability with creative risk-taking – particularly in music videos and advertising, where the lines are constantly shifting?

Mino> The two really go hand in hand – especially now. If a daring creative idea is executed well, commercial viability often follows. It is always a balancing act, there’s no doubt, but something has to lead the process or it just gets so watered down – and in a world flooded with content, playing it safe won’t help you stand out.

Ultimately, the work has to make sense in the bigger picture and have some kind of meaning – whether it's for a brand or a major artist. Audiences may not know how to articulate around a great piece of work but they sure can tell when something isn’t fully realized. Risk for the sake of risk doesn’t land – it has to be anchored in a strong, clear idea then it has to be executed well. That’s where talent and discipline come in. It takes craft and collaboration to find that sweet spot where bold creativity also delivers results.

LBB> ASAD, the Oscar-nominated short you produced, featured an all-Somali refugee cast. What did that project teach you about representation, responsibility, and filmmaking’s power to shift perspectives?

Mino> ASAD was made before anyone was really talking about representation, so we didn't talk about it in those terms, for us, authenticity was everything. Bryan Buckley wrote the script after we shot some mini docs for the UN in the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya and South Sudan that kind of went nowhere. The goal with ASAD was to reframe how the world was seeing Somali people and to tell a story that was rooted in truth but do it in an entertaining way so people would watch it. There was no way we were going to make this film without a cast of Somali people.

Some of the cast had lived through versions of what was in the script – it brought a depth we could never have achieved otherwise. The story behind the film became as powerful as the film itself garnering the attention of Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
We wanted to shift the narrative around refugees – to show not just struggle, but humour, resilience, and hope. The fact that it connected with people, and ended up nominated for an Oscar, really showed us the impact a film can have when it comes from a true place.

LBB> As a leader, how do you cultivate a culture where directors and creatives feel empowered to push boundaries and tell meaningful stories?

Mino> First, you have to genuinely create the culture where pushing boundaries is one of your values – and believe in it yourself. If it’s not real, no one else will buy in. But when it is real, it's infectious, it attracts like-minded people who operate or learn to operate in a similar pursuit of creative excellence. The directors and creators that truly want to push boundaries need to be around a support team like this.

Patience is another important component, it takes strength to avoid the path of least resistance but it's worth it in the long run. Building a strong, creatively-driven culture takes intention and a willingness to remain steadfast on what really matters – especially when things move fast.

LBB> Can you talk about a creative risk that didn’t go as planned – and what you learned from it?

Mino> I don't know that I have a remarkable story I can tell you without breaking a NDA or two. These are stories I tell over a drink.

You hope to learn something every time, that's the silver lining of failure. Look, failures and mistakes can be painful, especially when the stakes are high. Take your moment to grieve the loss, lick your wounds and get back up.

LBB> You’ve worked with an incredible range of talent. What do you look for when identifying and nurturing directing voices?

Mino> Like a lot of us out here looking for talent, It starts with the work – the reel, or even just a single piece that feels distinct. Something in the tone, the choices, the perspective that makes me want to know more. But for me, it’s never just about what’s on the reel. A lot of real insight comes from the conversation.

I’m drawn to people who I think are better than their reel – who are still growing, still hungry at whatever stage they are in their career. The ones who continually see themselves as students of the craft, open to evolving and pushing toward something deeper. Professional chemistry is important, you spend so much time together pitching work, going back and forth on details, it helps if there is some natural rapport – it helps to build trust.

Strategically, I also think about how their voice fits into the bigger picture – where they could go, not just where they are. Can I help them stretch? Do they bring something truly distinct to the table? An irreplaceable specialness. It can be hard to define, but you know when it’s there.

LBB> Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to your younger self when you were just starting out in this industry, what would it be?

Mino> I was so wholly into my career; I loved every stage and really ignored a lot of other things in my life – I made the business my entire life. I would probably tell myself to have a bit more of a balance, take a vacation when there is a lull and to call mom and dad more often.